by Kelly Rogge
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center celebrated the end of the year by honoring students for their achievements both in and outside the classroom.
The ceremony, held May 15 at KCKCC-TEC, honored several groups of students including inductees into the National Technical Honor Society and SkillsUSA.
“This is an outstanding group of students,” said Leota Marks, dean of academic workforce programs at KCKCC-TEC. “They have achieved greatness in their educational experience. They are doing the right thing, for the right reason because they feel like it.”
National Technical Honor Society
Created in 1984, the NTHS serves approximately 80,000 active members. The organization honors the achievements of the top Career and Technical Education students, provides scholarships to encourage entry into higher education programs and helps to create a skilled workforce.
Membership is open to students attending high school, technical school or a college/university and enrolled in a career and technical education program. The 2015 inductees into the NTHS at KCKCC-TEC include:
• Culinary Arts – Whitney Minchew, Charlice Howard, Garrett Hayes, Dawn Kingsley, Melissa Martinez and Paw Way.
• Electrical – Levi Hatton.
• MMVP – Annie Her.
SkillsUSA
SkillsUSA is a career and technical student organization in the United States geared toward those enrolled in programs for skilled, technical and service occupations. The organization serves more than 300,000 students and instructors each year at the high school and post-secondary level. It also gives industry leaders an opportunity to mentor and recruit students into positions that are high in demand.
Students, who wish to compete in SkillsUSA, can do so at the local, state and national level. Categories range from culinary, building maintenance and automotive service technology to basic health care skills, collision repair technology, entrepreneurship and job skill demonstration.
The idea is to give students the opportunity to compete in real world, hands-on situations. First place winners at the state level move onto the SkillsUSA Championships.
SkillsUSA medalists include:
• Commercial Baking – Nicole Reyes, gold and Nayely Olivas Porras, silver.
• Cosmetology – Lei’Onna Smith, gold; Tiffany Townsel, gold; Jahmonee Cruz, silver; Mary Davis, silver; Karla Lopez, bronze and Allison Bergman, bronze.
• Demonstration Open – Louis Tello, bronze.
• Electrical Construction Wiring – Eric Noell, silver.
• Esthetics – Sierra Ross, gold; Stephanie Rose, gold and Ashley Carr, silver.
• Major Appliance Tech – Albert Nelson, gold; Phillip Bustamante, gold; Danny Rausch, silver and Charles Graham, bronze.
• Nail Tech – Team D (Evelin Rueda and Mayela Franco), gold; Team A (Valentina Flores Molina and Brittany Nolan), silver and Team C (Darion Lane and Doris Williams), bronze.
• Paint & Refinishing – Adalie Ross, silver.
• Plumbing – Travis Slackard, gold; Chelltonia Burnett, silver and Floyd Hamilton, bronze.
• Welding Fabrication – Team C (Joseph Peel, Paul Barnett and Mason Burns), silver.
Outstanding Student Award
Finally, KCKCC-TEC presented several students with Outstanding Students Awards. Criteria for receiving the award included attendance and attitude. These students included:
• Office Assistant – Devin Sherwood.
• Culinary Arts – Dominick Armstrong, Amber Athon, Tha Aye, Marie Glass, Carlos Peppers, Shelby Robertson, Teyana Smith and Evelin Villagrana.
“I think it’s great that we can recognize our students’ achievements in this way,” said Michael Vitale, vice president for academic affairs. “We have so many outstanding students and many times they go without recognition. There is nothing like honoring these students for all they have accomplished.”
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor for Kansas City Kansas Community College.